VALDOSTA - Buster Faulkner threw two first-half scoring passes to Reggie Mosley as Valdosta State built a 21-0 lead and went on to a 24-7 victory over Catawba in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs on Saturday. <br>
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Faulkner engineered scoring drives of 67, 85 and 74 yards in the first two periods for the unbeaten Blazers (12-0), ranked second nationally. <br>
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His scoring passes covered 9 and 74 yards, Mosley hauling in the longer one only 34 seconds before halftime. <br>
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Faulkner completed 25 of 38 passes for 343 yards to spark an offense that netted 494 yards. <br>
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Catawba (8-3), which eliminated Valdosta State in the second round of last year's playoffs, scored late in the third quarter on a 21-yard pass from Nick Means to Luke Samples. <br>
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The victory sends the Blazers into the quarterfinals next week against another unbeaten team, Carson-Newman (12-0). Third-ranked Carson-Newman beat Fayetteville State 40-27 Saturday. <br>
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Valdosta State's other touchdown came on an 8-yard run by Tyran Robinson early in the second period and Will Rhody kicked a 24-yard field goal in the third.
